Laurel Tielis

Want to create a WOW experience in your retail store? Here’s how two small businesses in my area took advantage of the easy and effective theme, It’s our birthday, but you get the present! to surprise and delight their customers, and build their businesses.

Baker and Banker, a perfectly-named eponymous bakery and restaurant in San Francisco, celebrated its first year in business by offering everyone, no purchase necessary, a free slice of chocolate birthday cake with a Guinness cream frosting. Delicious  and healthy! What, you haven’t been reading about the benefits of chocolate?

Every year on the day it first opened its doors, Four Barrel Coffee offers customers free drinks. This year, I got to take advantage of it. Lots of coffee companies offer free coffee on occasion, but what made Four Barrel’s offering super special was not limiting the size or kind. Everything they regularly served was available. How could you not like that?

Will everyone who celebrated at these businesses turn into a customer? Of course not. Did doing so help each raise its profile? Yes, and I can prove it. I read about the promotions online, which meant they got publicity. I’m writing about it, and you’re reading it, which means there’s more publicity.

I also got to sample their wares, and liked what I had. Which means they’ve got one convert. And all at a very minor cost–after all,this is their core business.

Birthday celebrations are a great idea–they’re fun and they offer an opportunity for a business to show generosity. That’s always important, but it’s even more important when so many people are feeling a lack.

It’s no secret, as I’ve written before, when the economy goes sour, people seek sweetness. You as a business owner need to provide it in terms of customer service, and a little extra loving, in terms of munchies doesn’t go amiss. And isn’t it better than running an ad, or getting involved with a daily deals site?

These businesses are in the food and beverage arena, but you  don’t have to be to use your business’s “birthday” to reach out and bring business in. Order a sheet cake, brew some Joe, and get the word out through social and mass media. You’ll get the gift of more attention and more sales.

Generosity creates excitement and opens the door to increased business. What are you giving to others, and what is it bringing to you?

If you want more ideas about bringing in business, I can help. I’ve been a retail reporter at Women’s Wear Daily and Home Furnishings News, a columnist at the Miami Herald and a correspondent at People magazine.

I’ve also handled the marketing and public relations at major corporations and small businesses. Need a speaker or a consultant? Connect with me at LinkedIn, or follow on Twitter @laureltielis.

You can also get in touch at Ask Laurel (one word) at laureltielis.com. For easy and effective ways to bring in more business, read Ka-Ching! How to Ring Up More Sales.

Copyright © 2011 Laurel Tielis

Filed under: business, entrepreneurs, independent retailers, retail Tagged: | customer relations, economy, marketing, public relations, small business